StyleChile (available at www.stylechile.com) is a shoppable online publisher of aspirational fashion and lifestyle content for the modern consumer. Founded by Nakia P. Thomas, corporate lawyer and fashion + lifestyle professional.

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Monday, December 15, 2008

Available at Kitson's, Nicole Richie's jewelry line, House of Harlow 1960, is inspired by her love of the 60's and 70's and named after her daughter with Good Charlotte's Joel Madden...it was also created in collaboration with jewelry giant, Mouawad.

"Target was very easy to work with. They wanted a lot of prints and I chose silhouettes that have done well in the past." - Thakoon to Women's Wear Daily.

This collaboration is especially exciting because Thakoon essentially replicates his runway looks for the Target collection. Compare the dresses here. Close, right? You'll find his signature prints and patterns throughout the Target collection. Thakoon for Target will be available beginning on Christmas day. Check out the press release and images!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The perfect marriage of form and function! Vivienne Tam has partnered with Hewlett Packard to create the digital clutch, aka the HP Vivienne Tam Special Edition Notebook, which features Tam's signature peony design on the lid and the keypad.

Women's Wear Daily asked for sketches for the future First Lady's inaugural dress and fashion's designing elite answered. View a slideshow of each sketch here. I really like the dress above because it is classic, colorful and would be flattering on Michelle's figure. It's fancy enough to honor the solemnity of the occasion, but the bright color adds a bit of fun. The slide below includes some of the sketches submitted to WWD by the fashion designers (click on the slide for a large picture). Which dress do you think is most appropriate?

Surprisingly, a few of Michelle's favorite designers are missing from the list. . . there's nary a mention of Maria Pinto, Narcisso Rodriguez or Thakoon--designers whose frocks have been worn by Mrs. Obama on the campaign trail and to key victory speeches and white house visits. Interesting. Maybe these designers have submitted sketches directly to the First Lady in waiting.

I think these Bonnie Young dresses would go well with the Isaac Mizhrahi dress for Michelle Obama above. Malia's dress looks a lot like this Giambattista Valli creation.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Economical luxe. The black or crystal four-pronged goldtone pave ring is opulent enough to dramatize any holiday outfit and the price tag is low enough to make the ring a pretty inexpensive heirloom. Click on the label below for vintage Objet D'Art posts.

Two of my favorite online discount shopping destinations are having serious holiday deals. For up to 70% and 80% off retail on brands such as Just Cavalli, Fendi, Dolce and Gabbana, Tahari and Zac Posen check out Gilt Groupe and Rue La La. Due to the exclusive nature of membership to these sites, not everyone can take advantage. However, StyleChile readers can enjoy VIP membership to both Gilt Groupe and Rue La La just in time for the holidays.

Gilt Groupe

- log on with www.gilt.com/stylechile

Gilt Groupe is having the following sales this week: Botkier and M Missoni on December 9, Jill Stuart RTW and Shoes and Bedat & Co. on December 10, Milly Marc Bouwer Glamit and Marco Bicego on December 12 and Ali & Ro on December 13.

Rue La La

- Go to www.ruelala.com; select "invited by a member"; enter "vip@ruelala.com" to bypass the waitlist and get in.

Rue La La is hosting the following boutiques, just in time for holiday shopping! Kooba and La Perla on December 9, Kate Spade on December 11, Ellen Tracy and Samsonite Black Label on December 12 and Via Spiga and Honora Pearls on December 15.

For comprehensive coverage of Gilt Groupe and Rue La La read my vintage post here. If you'd like your own invitation to these exclusive shopping sites, shoot me an e-mail at stylechil@gmail.com.

While perusing The Sartorialist (if you're not already a fan, you must get on it) a couple of months ago, I stumbled across the pic below. Sart described the outfit as '80s flapper.

I loved everything, but the feather in the hair really appealed to me. I needed to find out who made it! My search was short lived . . . as I read the comments, I came across a note from the designer, Alita (below right).

So right after going to her site and scooping up a few of her feathered headbands for me and friends, I contacted her to ask a few questions for StyleChile.

When asked about her biggest fashion influences, Alita replied: "the biggest by far was Isabella Blow, who was a great patron and muse to the avant garde hatmaker Philip Treacy". Alita has been drawn to designing and jewelry-making ever since childhood. With respect to fashion, she's most proud of "being shot by the Sartorialist" (both her and her pieces!). I die. She's clearly on top of her fashion game. Of the Sart, she says: "He's one of the most finicky sensibilities in fashion right now...and you don't find him, he finds you."

Feathers are a key trend for this fall winter. Adding a feather to your ensemble is an easy and inexpensive way to add some flair. Check out Carolina Herrera's use of feather in her Fall 2008 show here, and Michelle Obama's feather pin.

Get your own Charm School Design original by visiting www.charmschooldesign.etsy.com. You can thank me later! Order for Christmas by December 11. Tell Alita I sent ya!

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Journelle

“Also, on the matter of clothing, why are you anxious? Take a lesson from the lillies of the field, how they are growing; they do not toil, nor do they spin.”

-Matthew 6:28

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“Style is something integral, it's something that's you, it's part of your psyche. You have to study yourself, learn who you are, learn what you really like, what you don't like, what you're comfortable with, how you feel, how people react to what you wear, and how much it bothers you if they don't like it. It's all of those things. And I think that that requires some hard work that a lot of people don't wanna do, but if you don't do that, you can copy somebody else's style, but it wont be yours. It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it.”